pickaxe
pickaxe Lexical Profile
pickaxe Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A heavy hand tool consisting of a stout wooden handle and a double-ended iron or steel head, typically with one pointed end and one chisel-like edge, used for breaking hard ground or rock.
"The prospectors swung their pickaxes tirelessly against the unyielding stone wall."
• verb
To strike, dig, or break up material, such as earth, rock, or ice, using a pickaxe.
"They carefully pickaxed the frozen soil to clear a foundation for the new cabin."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often spelled 'pickax' in American English. The spelling 'pickaxe' is universally understood and resulted from a historical folk-etymological alteration of the Middle English term.
• Rhymes for pickaxe
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'pikoys', borrowed from Old French 'picois', ultimately from 'pic' (pick). The spelling was later altered by folk etymology to resemble the word 'axe'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.